How do you launch a new program, build engagement and encourage adoption? This was the question the team at Signature HealthCARE (SHC) of Muncie faced when trying to figure out how to implement Signature’s iCARE program.
“Our caregivers are busy working non-stop to meet the needs of our residents, so when we ask them to invest time and effort in a new program, it’s important that we make it count,” said SHC of Muncie CEO Ben Wells. “We knew we needed something creative, fun and daring to roll out and sustain the iCARE program.”
iCARE is a Customer Service training program aimed at creating a cohesive, caring team that allows us to provide consistent, quality care to our residents through Compassion, Attentiveness, Respect, and Empathy at all times.
And the team at SHC of Muncie think they’ve found the answer to making the program ‘stick.’ They would say it’s all about putting your whole self into it – literally.
How it all came about…
Recently, during a morning staff meeting, there was significant discussion around how to implement and sustain the iCare program that was being rolled out at their facility. During the meeting, an idea was born to create large letters for C.A.R.E. and conduct a photo shoot of stakeholders standing in place of the “i.” Ben admits that at first he felt some staff went along to “humor” him, but everybody’s a believer now! The idea has really taken off.
Spending only $130, the Muncie team carefully cut the four letters from foam insulation board after first tracing them using an overhead projector. Once cut, the team applied a craft paint formulated for covering plastic. A full “in service” followed, where part of the session was conducted on the grounds of SHC of Muncie.
“It was fun,” Ben Wells said. “We just asked if anyone would like to be the ‘i’ in iCare. Everyone was jumping up and wanted to be part of it.”
What’s happening now…
What started as taking pictures of stakeholders inside the building and posting the photos beside the time clock has rapidly expanded to a mobile photo tour where individuals are posing with the large letters (and, of course, photo bombing) in front of local landmarks, museums, the local university and other recognizable locations. This is creating opportunities for communication with individuals outside our building and is generating great community interest.
Every day when stakeholders clock in for work, they are still seeing iCARE photos posted. Seeing pictures of themselves and their friends means something and the Muncie team is active in posting new pictures to keep it fresh. And they’re not done yet! The Muncie team intends to start putting up the photos on Facebook to promote their commitment to Customer Service to an even larger audience.
– Paul Reid, Director of Learning and Technology, Signature Learning